One of the most important roles in any digital marketing agency is that of the PPC expert. This person has a huge impact on whether you’re going to succeed or fail at online marketing, and therefore it’s extremely important to choose the right PPC expert with all the skills and knowledge required to carry out this vital job well. The difference between choosing an expert who knows their stuff and one who doesn’t can make or break your business—be sure to hire carefully!
What is PPC?
PPC is an acronym for pay-per-click advertising, which involves placing targeted ads on websites and then paying each time someone clicks on your ad. While you don’t have to pay if no one clicks, it can become costly if you don’t have enough traffic or budget. PPC marketing also has its own set of best practices that need to be followed (for example, conversion tracking), which often require consulting a specialist.
For these reasons, many businesses hire digital marketing agencies with dedicated PPC experts. If you’re looking to hire a digital marketing agency, make sure they have PPC experts on staff—or know, how to outsource these services. Otherwise, you might end up paying more than necessary for subpar results.
Why do you need an expert?
An expert performs better and has more knowledge than an amateur. When you’re working with a professional, they have better insight and are able to get results much faster. Professional content marketers are experts when it comes to paid search marketing. A PPC expert is knowledgeable of all aspects of paid search – keyword research, bidding strategy, landing page design, conversion tracking, and optimization. They understand how each part of your paid search campaign works together to create a successful campaign.
They can use their expertise to maximize your return on investment (ROI) and ensure that your campaign meets or exceeds its goals. PPC experts will make sure your campaigns perform well by testing different elements within them. For example, if one ad group isn’t performing as well as others, they will test another variation of that ad group to see if it increases performance. They do not simply make changes and hope for better results; rather, they take a scientific approach by testing different elements within your campaign until they find what works best for you.
How do you recognize good PPC experts?
As a CEO of a digital marketing agency, I must say that I am more concerned about PPC than SEO because it is my online revenue. Here are some qualities that make up good PPC experts. They are detail-oriented – If you notice that an expert cannot tell you anything about your campaign, then he isn’t paying enough attention to your details. Detail-oriented people often miss nothing when it comes to their work, and they always know where your campaign is going or how you can improve it.
They have passion for what they do – Passionate people don’t just do their job; they love doing it. In fact, if you ask them why they like what they do, you might find out that there is no reason behind it; just pure enjoyment. This kind of attitude reflects on their performance as well; if someone truly loves what he does, then his quality will be top-notch. They are proactive – No one likes working with lazy people who wait until things happen before taking action.
A proactive person doesn’t wait for things to happen; instead, she takes initiative and makes things happen herself. Such a person is also known as a self-starter, which means she doesn’t need anyone else to motivate her into action. She simply gets things done without anyone telling her what needs to be done next.
What are the benefits of hiring a professional?
PPC experts can help your company create an effective and profitable campaign—by leveraging strategies like keyword research, conversion optimization, and bid management. Hiring an expert is especially important if you’re not familiar with pay-per-click or are just starting out. A professional can guide you through every step of setting up your PPC account.
While they may cost more than doing it yourself, their expertise will save you time, money, and headaches down the road. They’ll also know how to build a strong foundation for future growth. Here are some tips for choosing a reputable agency that specializes in PPC.
Is it worth it to hire an external firm?
Some companies, however, can benefit from hiring an outside firm. It could be that your digital marketing agency doesn’t have someone dedicated to PPC or just doesn’t have as much experience with it. In that case, you might consider hiring a PPC expert on an external team to focus solely on those efforts.
Or you might find that it makes sense to use an outside firm to handle everything because you don’t have staff internally who are able to perform all of these tasks. Whatever your reasons for bringing in help, make sure you do enough research to ensure that you hire a digital marketing agency with great expertise and strong results. You want to get what you pay for!
It may seem tempting to go out and hire anyone willing to take on SEO projects. But keep in mind that when dealing with SEO, there are certain practices you should follow even if they aren’t always required by Google. If your digital marketing agency isn’t versed in those methods—or worse yet, practices black hat tactics—you could run into big problems down the road.
Things to look for when hiring a PPC Expert.
If you’re looking to hire a PPC expert to join your team, it is important to make sure that they have all of these qualifications. If your prospective PPC expert isn’t an expert at each of these skills, you may want to reconsider whether or not they are right for your project.
1) AdWords Certification
All great PPC experts should be certified in Google AdWords. This certification shows that they understand how to use AdWords correctly and effectively as well as being familiar with any changes Google makes to their platform.
2) Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO)
A good PPC expert will know how to take advantage of conversion rate optimization strategies and tools such as A/B testing and landing page optimization. These are two of Google’s best-kept secrets for increasing ad clicks, impressions, and conversions.
3) Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
If you want your company to be successful with pay-per-click advertising, you need someone who understands search engine marketing strategies and tactics. SEM is very different from PPC advertising, so make sure that your prospective PPC expert has experience with both AdWords and SEO campaigns before hiring them.
4) Analytics Experience
A good PPC expert will know how to use Google Analytics as well as other analytics tools such as Omniture or Webtrends. They should also have experience implementing tracking codes on their client’s websites and using data analysis tools like Excel or Tableau.
5) Data Analysis Skills
In order for your campaign to be effective, it needs to reach users who are interested in what you have to offer. A good PPC expert will know how to use data analysis tools such as Excel or Tableau to identify which keywords and phrases convert well and which ones don’t.
6) Copywriting Experience
A great PPC expert will know how to write compelling ad copy that converts well.
7) Creativity and Strategic Thinking
An effective PPC campaign requires creativity and strategic thinking skills. Your prospective PPC expert should be able to come up with creative ideas for your campaign, understand what works and what doesn’t, and effectively communicate their ideas to you or your team.
8) Good Communication Skills
Finally, it is important that your prospective PPC expert has good communication skills so they can effectively explain their strategies and tactics to you or your team members.
9) Analytical Mindset
In order for your campaign to be successful, your PPC expert needs to have an analytical mindset. They should always be asking questions such as why and how when evaluating data or looking at ways to improve your campaign.
10) Google AdWords Certification
All great PPC experts should be certified in Google AdWords.
Resources, guides, and communities to help your search.
It’s safe to say that most of us turn to Google for most of our questions these days. Whether you have an ah-ha! a moment or find yourself wondering how long corned beef can last past its expiration date, your first (and sometimes only) stop is likely Google. That’s why it makes sense to build relationships with communities and experts who help answer questions, troubleshoot, and guide users through their search journey.
Your digital marketing agency should be participating in these communities. Start by finding out which online resources and tools people use when they want to learn more about digital marketing. Then make sure your digital marketing agency is represented there—maybe even become an expert on those platforms so you can give advice whenever someone asks.
Conclusion
So, if you’re looking for results, you should get help from an expert. PPC campaigns are highly specialized, and it’s unlikely that one individual at your company has all of that expertise. Rather than trying to go it alone or learning as you go (which can be dangerous), invest in a digital marketing agency with experience and resources. A PPC expert will take care of the hands-on work while providing strategic direction—leaving you free to do what you do best! It’s a win-win situation.
